Apparatus for applying helical ribs to pipes



Jan. 19 1926.

, H. JhzlMME'RMANN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HELICAL RIBS T0 PIPES Filed Dec. :50, 1922 INVENTOR.

ti w gm I A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENTYOFFICE.

PENNSYLVANIA.

0F MANNHEIM,

GERMANY, ASSIGNOR ,TO' vsc'rru'rrn am) AEPARATUS FOR APPLYING HELICAL RIBS TO PIPES.

Application filed December :30, 1922, Serial imeoa'zev.

[0 all whom it may concern: I

Be itknown that I, HANS J. ZIMMERMANN',

in the Province of Baden,

invented an Improvement in aratus for Applying Helical Ribs to following is a specificaand a resident of Gerinvention relates to improvements in forapplying helical ribs to pipes, for its general object to provide aratus by means of which fins may be applied to or formed upon pipes by coiling thin edgewise and helically A further object sheet metal strips thereon.

of the invention is to provide an improved novel method of applying fins helically to sists in first corrugating pipes which conthin narrow strips of sheet metal and thereafter coiling the same edgewise and helically about pipes so as to stretch out or remove the corrugations at the outer circumferential edge portion thereof but without removing the corrugations at the inner edge portion thereof;

and a still further object is to provide an improved and novel construction of apparatus for the practising of the said method.

Other objects and vention will be pointed advantages of my inout in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be understood more readily and its practical advantages fully appreciated, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one example of an apparatus embodying my invention and by means of which the improved and novel I method may be carried out or practised. It will be understood that modifications in the mechanical details of construction of the apparatus shown may be made within the scope of the claims from my-invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse larged, taken on the line 11 of Fig. an apparatus embodying by the structure being order that other portions tions of more clearly shown; Fig. 2 1s a new in s1 without departing sectional view, en-

2, of invention, porbroken away in thereof may be de elevation of the apparatus and of the upper portion of the table supporting the same;

Fig. 3 toothed rollers by means of which the narrow strips or bands to be coiled around pipes are corrugated;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is'an enlarged view of a portion of pipe with a in accordance with 'my invention.

Referring to the drawing: 1 designates a pipe about which a thinnarrow strip of sheet metal is adapted wise and 'helically to thereon. The said pi e is supported at one end in the chuck 2 o a latheand at its opposite end upon a support 3, of-known construction, which is adjustable and rotatable. The adjustable supporting means 3 is supported upon a tail stock 4., The chuck 2 is supported upon a rotatable shaft 5 mounted in bearings in a bracket 6 supported upon a table 10. The tail stock 4 is also supported upon the table 10. The shaft 5 is adapted to be rotated to effect rotation ofthe chuck 2 and of the pipe 1 held thereby by means of drive wheels ll of different diameters. The arrangement and operation of these drive wheels are well known.

I shall now refer to and describe the mechanism for corrugating and for feeding orsupplying the strip or band of thin sheet metal to the said holding the same with respect thereto. The said mechanism comprises a base 15 which is slidably mounted upon the table 10 and is held against lateral displacement thereon by the angular ribs 16 which engage correspondingly shaped grooves 17 in the base 15. A rectangular shaped frame-like member 20 is secured to a member 21 which has a tongue and groove connection, as indicated at 22, with the base 15. Such connection enables removal of the frame 20,

with the arts carried thereby, from the base 15,i desired. 7

The thin, narrow sheet metal strip or is a top plan view of a pair of helical rib thereon applied to be wound edge-' form a helical fin' pipe and for guiding and v A CORPORATION or Y and to a bracket 30 secured to said base and is supported thereby. The strip 25 passes between two intermeshing, toothed wheels 31 and 32 supported upon shafts 33 and 34 and is thereby corrugated. The means for supporting and efi'ecting rotation of the shafts will be hereinafter described. In passing between the toothed wheels 31 and 32 the strip or band 25 is corrugated or converted into sinuous form. The teeth of these wheels are shaped so as to provide corrugations of the depth and width desired. The said wheels in the construction shown are cylindrical sothat the 'corrugations'of the strip or band extend uniformly over the whole width thereof. If desired the said strip may pass through a guide 35 adjacent the saidwheels 31 and 32. The stri may also pass through a second guide at 36 20 which is secured bymeans of screw threaded bolts 37 to the upper side of a block or bar 38 which is adapted to be adjustably secured to. the frame 20 and anvangular flangelike plate 39 secured thereto and projecting 2 upwardly and to the right (havlng reference to Fig. 1) as shown. The said bar, or block is provided, with slots40 through which screw threaded bolts 41 extend, the inner ends of which bolts have screw threaded engagement with the parts 20 and 39. By loosening these'bolts the bar 38 may be adjusted to the position desired and held in such position by clamping the heads of the said bolts 4l-against the outer side thereof.- For the purpose of guiding the said corrugated strip. or band as it approaches the pipe 1 at a oint approximately where the outer edgeof the bend of said strip merges with the straight top edge portion thereof,"

1 have provided a roller 45 which is adapted to engage theupper edge of the said strip or band as shown in Fig. 1. The said roller.

is supported upon the 45 46 having slots 47 therein through which screw threaded bolts 48 extend, which bolts have'screw threaded engagement with the frame 20 andethe upwardly extending portion of the flange-like. part 39. By loosen -ing the bolts 48 the bar 46 may be adjusted to the position desired. As the corrugated forward end portion of the strip or band 25 is bent or coiled around the pipe 1 the outer peripheral portion thereof enters a groove of V-shape iiithe periphery of a roller 50. This roller is provided with trunnions 51 which are journaled in blocks 52 which are supported in slots 53 in the opposite sides ofa supporting arm or projec- 60 tion '54 mounteduponthe forward side of the rectangular shaped frame structure The roller is situated partially within a slot 55 provided in the inner end portion of the supporting arm' or projection 54. The blocks 52 may be held in any position p pipe 1.

lower end of a bar pose. band around the same.

the table 10. Rotation to which they arm or "-projection54 by means of binding screws or bolts 58 The outer end of the arm or projection 54 is provided with a lug or projection 60 which "extends through an opening 61 in. the forward side of theframe 20.- The outer end of the said lug or projection is screw threaded and is engaged by a nut 62 which is adapted to bindag'ainst the outer surface of the front side of the frame 20 so as to hold the armor projection 54 in place in any positionto which it may be adjusted about its axis. It is necessary that the, grooved roller 50 shall occu y a plane corresponding to the plane of tlie pitch of the coil of the strip or band 25 about the For the'purpose of holding tllt pipe 1 against lateral displacementby'bending, I have provided the rollers. 65 and 66 -which engage the periphery of the coil of the strip which is immediately in rearofthe coil being formed. These rollers are notgroovedand it is not necessar that they should -be,' but either or both 0 them may be if desired. The rolle 65 is supported upon the bar '38 previo sly referred to. The roller 66 is supporte upon a bar 70 which is adjustably secure: to the frame 20 and the angular flange-like plate 39. by means of screw threaded bolts 71' which extendjthrough slots 72in the said bar and engage at their inner screw threaded ends with the said'frame 20 and the flange-like plate portion 39. For the purpose of preventing outward movement of the bars 38, 46 and 70 after they have been adjusted to I may be adjustedwithini the slots 53 in the opposite side portions of the the position desiredgthe stops 75 are provided which have screw threaded engagement with lugs 76 upon the flange-like plate 39. These stops have screw threaded engagement with the lugsfor projections 76 and may be adjusted as desired.

' It will be noted that the rollers 50, 65

and 66 are triangularly related to eachother and that their relation to each other is such that the pipe 1 is prevented from bending under the strain or pressure which is imupon it by bending of the strip or Iii-order to spirally wind or coil the strip or band 25 about the pipe 1 to form a helix shaft is effected by means of a train of gears indicated as a whole at 81. One of these gears is mounted upon' the shaft 5 previously referred to and upon rotating the latter the feeding shall be moved along.

of the said rod or.

said train of gears is operated to efiect rotation of the shaft 80. This shaft is in screw threaded engagement with a nut 83 supported upon brackets 84 which depend from the bottom side of the base 15 through an opening 85 which extends longitudinally of the table 10. Rotation of the said rod or shaft 80 causes movement of the nut 83 in one direction or the other thereon, dependin upon the direction of rotation of the sa1d rod or shaft, and the said nut, being connected with the base 15 which carries the frame 20 and the parts supported thereon, causes corresponding movement of the said parts together with the strip which is supported upon the drum 27.

In order to effect corrugation of the strip or band 25 it is necessary that the wheels 31 and 32 shall be rotated. To effect rotation of these wheels I have provided a train of gears as indicated at 90, one of which gears is secured to the rod or shaft 80-and another one to a shaft 91 journaled at its opposite ends in the legs .of the table 10. Rotation of the rod or shaft 80 effects'rotation' of the shaft 91 through the said train of gears 90. The shaft 91 is provided with a gear 95 which is adapted to slide thereon and which is caused to rotate therewith by means of a key 96; Longitudinal or sliding movement of the gear 95 upon the shaft 91 is caused by means of a projection 98 which extends inwardly from the lower end portion of the inside wall of the housing 29 and engages an annular groove in a collar 99 secured to the said gear. The gear 95 is in engagement with a gear 100 which is supported upon one end of a shaft 101 journaled inthe opposite side walls of the housing 29. Mounted upon the shaft 101 is a bevel gear 102 which is in engagement with a bevel gear 103secured to the lower end of the shaft 33 mounted in ball bearings -104 which in turn are supported upon brackets 105 and 106 which project outwardly from the inner wall of the housing 29. The shaft 34 which is situated back of the shaft 33 (having reference to Fig. 1)

is supported at its upper end in a ball bearing, not shown, supported, upon the bracket 105 and at its lower end in a 'ball hearing at 108 supported upon a bracket 109 which extends outwardly from the central portion of the inner wall of the housing 29.

It will be apparent that upon rotation of the shaft 5 as hereinbefore described, rotation of the rod -or shaft 80 is caused and that such rotation causes longitudinal movement of the base 15 and the parts connected therewith in parallel relation, to the pipe 1; and also thatrotation of the rod or shaft 80 through the'train of gears 90 causes rotation of the shaft 91 which, through the gears 95, 100, 102 and103, causes rotation of the shaft 33 which carries the wheel '31.

The teeth or projections of the latter intermesh with the corresponding teeth or projections upon the wheel 32 and effect like rotation thereof together with the shaft 34 to which it is secured.

The speed of rotation of the rod or shaft 80 depends upon the ratio of the gears in the train of gears 81 to each other and by varying this ratio by the changing or substitution of gears the speed of rotation of the said rod or shaft 80 may likewise be varied. Variation of the speed of rotation of the shaft 80 causes variation in the speed of movement of the base 15 with the parts carried thereby, which will cause a variation in the pitch'of the helix formed by bending or ceiling the strip or band 25 around the pipe 1.

The relation of the speeds of rotation of the pipe 1 at'its circumference and of the wheels 31 and 32 at their circumferences should be such that the strip or band between the pipe 1 and the said wheels 31 and 32 is held taut or tensioned so thatias it is coiled around the pipe lits inner edge will grip and hug the same tightly and make a tight joint therewith.

In the operation of the apparatus and in the practising of the method embodying my invention the means for corrugating and supplying the corrugated strip or bandto the pipe in tangential relation thereto is moved into position adjacent an end of the pipe. In the construction as shown such means is moved into position adjacent the end of the pipe which is held by the chuck 2. The inner edge of the forward end portion of the strip is secured to the pipeat such end in any suitable manner as by welding,

, soldering, brazing, or otherwise. After this has been done the pipe is'rotated in the -manner as hereinbefore described and in the direction as indicated by thearrow associated therewith in Fig. 1 'of the drawing. Such rotation of the pipe effects coiling of the stripor band about the said pipe, and asthe said strip or band is fed along the pipe length-wise thereof a helic'alcoil or helix is producedor formed about the same. When the mechanism for supplying the strip or band to the pipe has reached the opposite end thereof it is stopped, the strip or band is severed, and the rear end thereof secured to the adjacent end of the pipe by soldering, welding, brazing or otherwise, as was done with respect to the forward or front end thereof.

As described, the forward end portion of the strip or band as it approaches the pipe is guided bythe contact of its upper of outer edge above the pipe with the under side of the roller 45 and as the strip or band is wound or coiled on to the pipe its outer peripheral edge portion is stretched substantially into smooth or fiat form, as is indicatment.

support, ofmeans y from edgeto edge, band to a pipe mounted on said support, and

ed in Fig. 4: of: the drawing. ineio'uter;

ferential edge portion of the coil, but leave the inner edge portion thereof corrugated as shown.

The arm 54.- may be adjusted about co-incidencewith the plane of the portion of the coil or helix with which it is in engage- This plane varies with the pitch of the helix.

As heretofore described, the inner edge of the band is caused to hug tightly against the outer surface of the pipe so that it is in rigid engagement therewith, in consequence of which it is necessary to secure the said strip or band to the pipe 'at' the opposite ends of the latter only.

tact with the pipe the pipe and the coiled strip or band is not displaced on the to high temperature.

Havin 'thus described my invention, What I c aim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz'; 1. in an apparatus for coiling bands on pipes, the combination, with a rotary pipe for corrugating a band means for feeding said means for stretching the outer edge portion of said band to remove" the corrugations therefrom as it is wojufd upon said pipe.

pipes, in oomhinatioma pipe support, means for causing, rotation of said pipe support,

I and means for feeding a corrugated band to and tangentially ofa pipe mounted on bending of said pipe.

The strip or band, intermediateits ends, is in close rigid con-v so that the heat is uni-.- formly transmitted over the whole length of pipe even though subjected wherebyiro a guide 'rol-le"'rbetween i the sameedgewise 2. In an apparatus for coiling bands'on sai'd support at a speed less than the speed 'ofErot a-tion of the circumferential surface .oft'he said pipe.

3. -11 an apparatus for coiling hands on pipes the combination, with a rotary pipe support, of means for bending a band from edge to edge into wave-like form and feed ing the sameto and tangentially of apipe mounted on said support, which band is its axis as is necessary to bring the plane of adapted to be coiled upon said pipe, and the peripheral groove'of the roller 50 into means for engaging the periphery of a coil adjacent the coil being formed to prevent 4. In an apparatus for coiling bands on pipes, the co bination,

support, of means for forming a band with transverse waves extending uniformly over the whole breadth thereof and 'for feeding the sameto and ta gentialliy-of a pipe mounted on said ls u said means for causing of thelatter,longitudinallyof said pipe.

5.1n an apparatus for coiling bands on pipes, the combination, with a rotary pipe support, of means for oorrugating a band "transversely of'its length. and feeding the same to a pipegmounted on said support, the forward end portion of the inner edge of said band beingconnected' to said pi e coiling o he-former port, and mechanism intermediate.said rotary pipe support and traveling movement with a rotary pipe and pipe supp'ort in position for guiding the band being fed"to the pipe, and a smoothing roller located in position for smoothing theouter edge portion of said band simultaneously with the coiling of on the said pipe.

Intestiinon that I claim the fore oing tion of theiatteicauses t a??? about said pip.e, ;tl"

said bending means; 

